Babysitting
by Inthefire
Summary: Kel gets a job babysitting quite the handful- Owen. Written for Goldenlake's AU Week.
1. Chapter 1

Kel trudged up the steps with a sigh. She was going to babysit for a new family tonight, and she didn't know what to expect. Normally Kel didn't mind babysitting, but all of her friends were going out together. Neal had recently gotten a hold of concert tickets for free, but Kel had already agreed to babysit, and her honor kept her from cancelling.

Kel knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. She heard some cries from inside and the patter of footsteps before the door swung open to reveal a small, dripping-wet, naked little boy. "Are you my new friend?" he asked eagerly, a large grin stretched across his face. "My daddy told me that a friend was going to come today a'cus he's going to go see his friends."

A much taller and fully clothed man came running down the hallway, holding out a towel. "Owen," he called, "Come over here!" The little boy went running back to his father, who enveloped him in a towel. "You must be Kel," he said, turning around to face her, "Sorry about that; Owen escaped from his bath."

"I don't like them," Owen clarified for her.

The man pulled clothes from his pocket and began to dress his son. "I know you don't" he said as he wrenched a shirt over Owen's head, "But if you were dirty all the time no one would want to be your friend." He tweaked Owen's nose before straightening. "He's eaten dinner already, so you don't have to worry about that," he told Kel, "And don't fret over putting him to bed at a certain time. If he doesn't want to sleep, he won't."

"I don't like sleeping," Owen piped up, "It's boring."

Owen's father gave Kel some more instructions before reaching down one last time to give Owen a hug and said, "See you later, buddy," before vanishing out the door, leaving Kel alone with Owen. She turned to the young child beside her, and asked, "So what do you want to do now?"

"Let's play a game!" Owen cried eagerly.

"What kind of game do you want to play?" Kel asked warily, slightly apprehensive about Owen's exuberance.

"Let's play knights and horseys!" he declared with a grin, "Because I want to be a knight just like in all the stories and save people all across Tortall!"

"How do you play?" Kel asked, getting more worried by the second.

"You'll be the horsey and I'll ride you around the realm!" When Kel just looked down at him he demanded, "Get on the ground now!" Not wanting to upset her new charge, for she would not know what to do with a screaming child, Kel followed Owen's instructions and knelt beside him. Owen slid onto her back and yelled, "Go horsey, go!" Kel began to crawl around the room, much to Owen's delight, and he began to let out whoops of joy. After a few steps, Kel tried to stop, but Owen kicked her side and yelled, "Faster horsey!"

_This is going to be a really long night, _Kel thought, regretting her decision not to go with Neal.

**Please review! It's much appreciated ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

"Kel, I'm hungry," Owen whined, tugging at her shirt.

"But you already ate dinner," Kel protested. Kel had been watching Owen for hours now, and all she wanted was to go home.

"But I'm hungry," he rebutted, "Pwease, Kel?"

She looked at the child before her, whose eyes were beginning to tear ever so slightly, sighed, and walked into the kitchen. Owen followed her, skipping gleefully. "What do you want to eat?" she asked suspiciously.

"Ice cream!" Owen cried.

"I don't know if your father would be happy if I gave you ice cream," Kel replied slowly, "Don't you want some vegetables?" Kel looked at Owen, hopeful that he would accept her compromise.

But luck was not on Kel's side today, for Owen began to wail. "B-but I want ice cream!" he sobbed. Kel frantically ran to retrieve ice cream for the screaming child. "Shhh, Owen," she soothed, placing the bowl into his small hands, "It's okay." Owen opened his eyes, and at the sight of the bribe in his grasp, he immediately silenced. "All better?" Kel asked apprehensible.

Owen nodded. "Thank you, Kel," he said, the picture of sweetness, but Kel knew better now. Owen may have seemed lovable, although he was anything but.

**Possibly to be continued...I wrote it for AU Week but I didn't have any time to write what I would have liked to. Thanks for reading, and reviews are _much_ appreciated!**


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